Get ready for playtime fun with printable Play Doh shapes for kids!

Play Doh is a fun and entertaining activity that kids of all ages love, so we’ve got a great Play Doh shapes activity for you today.

Even better though, playing with Play Doh can also help develop essential fine motor skills? When combined with toothpicks, the possibilities for creativity and learning are endless.

With this printable, we are sharing one of our favourite Play Doh activities with toothpicks that your kids will surely enjoy. We’ll also explain why toothpick and Play Doh activities are beneficial for fine motor skills, and why this activity is perfect for both parents and teachers to try out.

Why should you even bother with this activity, though – how will it help your kids?

Building Play Doh shapes to help with fine motor skills

This Play Doh shapes activity is a great way to improve skills for your kids, including:

1. Muscle strength and control

Play Doh and toothpick activities require kids to pinch, press, and mold the clay with their fingers and hands. As they do this, they are strengthening the muscles in their hands and increasing their control and dexterity. The added challenge of using toothpicks to create shapes and designs further improves hand-eye coordination and creative problem-solving skills.

2. Concentration and focus

Creating different shapes and designs takes time, patience, and attention to detail. As children work on their Play Doh and toothpick creations, they must concentrate on their movements and stay focused on the task at hand. This encourages the development of patience, self-control, and attention span.

3. Imagination and creativity

Play Doh and toothpick activities offer endless possibilities for children to use their imagination and creativity. They can create anything they want, from animals and objects to abstract designs and patterns. This freedom allows them to express themselves and helps to develop their creative thinking skills.

Our Play Doh and toothpick activity also comes with instructions on how to create ten different shapes and designs. This helps children to learn new techniques and refine their skills while having fun and being creative.

What do our Play Doh shapes activities look like?

There are 6 sheets within this worksheet pac, including a cover and our copyright notice. The shapes that you create with the toothpicks and Play Doh include:

• Square,
• Triangle,
• Rectangle,
• Rhombus,
• Pentagon,
• Star,
• Trapezoid, and
• Octagon.

The pages include how to put the toothpicks together, and your child can either follow the guides on the paper, or make their own versions, depending on their age.

In addition, there is tracing practise for the shape words as well. If your child is a little bit older, you could even practise making the letter shapes, but this IS a bit more fiddly to do with the play doh.

This really is a simple idea, but really effective in building confidence and motor skills in kids.

To download the full activity, just click on the button or the image below:

As a parent, you’ll enjoy watching your child’s confidence grow as they successfully create each shape, and as a teacher, you can use this activity to incorporate art and creativity into your lessons.

Playing with Play Doh and toothpicks is a fun, engaging way to develop essential fine motor skills for children of all ages. It offers a multitude of benefits, including muscle strength and control, concentration and focus, and imagination and creativity. By using toothpicks to create shapes, children improve their hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail. And with our handy instruction pack, they can learn new techniques and continue to improve their skills. Whether you’re a parent looking for a fun activity for your child or a teacher incorporating art into your curriculum, Play Doh and toothpick activities are a must-try.

So, get your Play Doh and toothpicks ready and let the creativity and learning begin!

If you are after more ideas for activities, check these out too:

Or here:

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We hope to see you back on the site again soon.

Take care,

Helen

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